Listening to Kitty last Sunday my ears perked up when she asked “What values have influenced your life?” And I took it upon myself to take a closer look and see how I am living my values in my elder years, and how I can continue to do so. The simple answer for me is “Helping others.”
That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life, down to my childhood years when I thought it was up to me to make everyone happy, especially my parents. Of course, that wasn’t my job, but I tried anyway.
So take a look at my career choice. I became a physical therapist after reading the book WITH LOVE FROM KAREN, written by Karen’s mother Marie Killilea. Karen was born prematurely in 1940 and was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. My pediatric physical therapist sister-in-law recommended it to me and I read it as a teenager, and I decided then and there that I wanted to be a physical therapist. The story of Karen and the family who loved her dearly, touched my heart. I guess what? Although I worked in all areas of physical therapy, pediatric physical therapy is the true passion I have in my long career, and yes, I am still practicing – gotta practice til I get it right. 😉
So helping others, giving back. That’s what I do. My whole life. I’ve had ideas of what I want to do with volunteer work in my elder years, and it has come to fruition with the opportunities I have had here at Unity in Naperville. From the Angel Tree, to food bank donations and in person volunteering, to our backpack/school supply drives for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (a special passion of mine, as I am a grandmother, and have involved my granddaughters in this project- and they love being involved). And simply listening to a friend or even a stranger who is having a hard time in life.
Helping others is a value that I am living. Thanks, Kitty, for making me open my eyes to see this.
